Beadalon Blog

From celebrities to soccer moms, these days it seems like everyone is "going green". At Beadalon, we're proud to say that we've been conscious of our impact on the environment since the beginning. As our website states, "Beadalon is the only flex wire company in the industry that actually manufacturers its own wire and micro cable products in-house. Since our start in 1976, we have sent all scrap stainless steel from our USA manufacturing plant out for recycling, typically into new Stainless Steel products." You can read more about our efforts to minimize our environmental impact here . Remember, stainless steel is one of the most recycled products on the planet, so save those scraps! If you don't turn them into more jewelry, like the circles featured in Beadalon Design Team member Fernando Dasilva's Psychedelic Necklace , send them back to us for recycling: 440 Highlands Blvd. Coatesville, PA 19320 Attn: Recycle -Meredith Roddy for Beadalon

Even in this year's challenging retail environment, manufacturers and designers brought a lot of optimism and innovation to the Jewelers Circular Key (JCK) Show. The days of a single, uniform look are over! I spotted a mélange of metal colors, gemstone cuts and fancy glass beads fighting for the attention of old and new customers, with many different elements, colors and textures together in one piece. From colored, braided leather to blackened gold findings, from pink rose gold to modern carved cameos, from tungsten chain to gigantic cocktail rings with white opal cabochons, the hottest trends are those that make people believe anything is possible. Here are the looks we'll be seeing more of in the coming year: White was the big color story at JCK this year. The hottest stone of the season, white opal, looks fabulous and fresh when combined with new white Beadalon 7 and any opalescent Crystallized - Swarovski Elements . Copper stays strong mixed with other metals or on its o...

Every year, the Beadalon team looks forward to exhibiting at the world's largest consumer bead show in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This year, there were nearly 400 vendors and over 500 classes. Our booth is primarily for show and tell at consumer events. We introduce new products, explain the differences between different styles of wire, demonstrate techniques, share design ideas and answer beading questions. Since we don't sell retail, we drive traffic to our distributors who sell Beadalon products at the show. The Beadalon Bead & Button Show Team: Wyatt White, Product Manager; Mike Shields, VP of Sales & Marketing; Meredith Roddy, Sales Executive; Drew Potter, Sales Executive; Michael Hogan, Major Accounts Sales Executive. The demonstration table is one of the hottest spots in the booth. We answer beading questions and show consumers how to use all of our tools and findings. This year, we also shared samples of WildFire™, our premium, thermally-bonded bead...

Gold Peyote Cuff By Meredith Roddy for Beadalon Materials 7 strand .015 Gold Color Beadalon wire (JW02G-0) 4 size 2 gold-filled crimp beads (JFC1G-1.5G) 1 gold plated medium lobster claw clasp (315A-005) 1 gold plated 6mm jump ring (314A-005) 1 gold plated 5mm split ring (320A-001) 1 package 4MM Matte Black Cube Beads (506-1710) 1 package 4MM Matte Gold Cube Beads (506-1728) Instructions 1. String 1 black cube and 4 gold cubes on a 5 foot length of wire. *String another black bead and pass back through the gold bead to begin the first row of peyote stitch. String another gold bead, skip one gold bead and go through the next gold bead on the foundation row. String one more gold bead and go through the black bead.* Repeat from * to * until your bracelet is the length you want it minus 2 inches. 2. After you’ve reached the desired length, string one crimp bead, 4 black beads, the split ring, 4 more black beads, and form a loop at the top of the bracelet...

Seed beads are beading staples but they can be tricky little things! There are a lot of great products that make it easier to organize and work with them. Check out my Beading Lesson Video #905 for an overview of my favorites listed here. Tacky Mat : The Beadalon Tacky Mat is a sticky mat that keeps beads and pieces in place while you're working. It does not leave a sticky residue when you remove items from the mat. If the mat gets dirty, simply "recharge" it by washing it under warm water. Let it dry and it will be sticky again.  Bead Mat : Soft, comfortable Bead Mats keep small parts from rolling around, and cushion hands while stringing beads. When you pour seed beads onto the mat, they land with the hole facing up, which makes them easier to string because you can press the needle downward directly into the hole. Needle Tubes : Store sharp and small beading stringing needles safely and securely with wooden Beadalon Needle Tubes. The square tube won't roll ar...

In Bead&Wire Jewelry Exposed , authors Margot Potter, Fernando Dasilva and Katie Hacker offer over 50 high-fashion jewelry designs made using unique techniques that reveal typically hidden components like beading wire, cording, findings, tubing and chain as the central focus of the design. All of the projects use products from Beadalon® and Crystallized™ - Swarovski Elements. While the designs look complex, the techniques are simple enough for beginners yet sophisticated enough for veteran jewelry crafters. Step-by-step photos illustrate each design and a comprehensive getting started section gives crafters information on the supplies, tools and techniques they’ll need to make all of the projects in the book. The broad range of styles guarantees appeal for all audiences, with designs from three different jewelry making experts. Leave a comment to be entered into a drawing to win a free copy of Bead&Wire Jewelry Exposed! Include your email address so we can contact you if yo...

“Mixed Media” is all the rage in the jewelry making world as of late.   It’s a catch-all term for designs created with a surprising mixture of techniques and materials.   Fibers play joyfully with inks and papers and beads to make unique, one of a kind jewelry creations. Traditional crafting is being turned on its ears and it’s resulting in some amazing new ideas.  Designers are wandering the craft aisles, flea markets, thrift shops and hardware stores in search of interesting new materials. They’re re-imagining recyclables into gorgeous wearables. They’re making jewelry out of found objects and repurposed items. They’re breaking rules and making new ones in the process. It’s an exciting time for the burgeoning mixed media jewelry designer and Beadalon has a vast array of products the mixed media jewelry designer can integrate into their work.  We’ve been updating our jewelry making projects on the newly redesigned Beadalon website and there are a plethora of great new mixed media ...

I’m back with more ideas for hosting a jewelry party! This is one of my favorite topics, as you can tell. This time, I’ll share ideas for displaying your jewelry, pampering your guests with party favors, and tips for food & drinks.  A successful home jewelry party is when you sell yourself as much as you sell your jewelry, so don’t be shy! People want to know about what inspires you and your jewelry designs. I want guests to buy my jewelry but the most important part is for people to get to know me as a person and a jewelry designer. Treat everyone the same no matter if they buy or not, they may call you up a few days later for that great pair of earrings they tried on.  Displaying Your Jewelry Remember that this is just like another party at your house. Less is always better on the decorations so the jewelry shines as the star attraction. Place it in a prominent location, add fresh flowers around the room, and create separate tables for the food and beverages.  Arrange you...

Influenced by well-known companies like Tupperware and Candle Light, in-home sales have seen an up-trend all over the country since the 90’s. The structure requires simple elements: an appealing product, a well-connected host, and a friendly shopping environment such as a cozy family room. I have done many jewelry parties for groups as small as 6 people to groups of 80. In this post, I’ll share some tips for selecting and selling your inventory. Join me in the next post for display tips, food & drink suggestions and more!  Many independent artists from different fields have begun showing their products to small audiences in their own homes or those of their friends. Jewelry parties offer a personal shopping experience, where the shoppers can meet the artist and get more detailed information about the products. The artist benefits by being able to turn and refresh inventory quickly, since people look for new colors and styles each season.  A successful jewelry party requires a l...